Roger McGuinn, best known as the leader of The Byrds, was a pioneer of folk rock. The Byrds combined lyrical folk music with a rock rhythm, scoring significant songs in the 1960s such as ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’ and ‘Mr. Tambourine Man.’ McGuinn and his comrades David Crosby, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke persevered until the band split in 1973. Following that, McGuinn embarked on a solo career, exploring not simply folk and country, but also surf and even space rock. He continued to make songs as a solo artist, but only on the advice of his wife, Camilla McGuinn, who was his tour manager and songwriter.
Roger McGuinn and His Wife Knew They Were Destined to Be Together
McGuinn and his wife met in 1978, and he already had two boys from his prior marriage at the time. He’d also started reading the Bible and found solace in Christian beliefs. Camilla was hesitant to join him in his studies, but she quickly changed her mind when the singer led her to a gallery that had hundreds of paintings of Jesus. At first, I thought this wasn’t how Jesus appeared, but the longer we walked about, the calmer and more at ease I felt.” We both felt like we were walking on clouds towards the end. “It was transforming,” Camilia stated.
The McGuinn’s realized they were destined to be together soon after, and they married on April 1, 1978. They also became Christians and started studying the Old and New Testaments. After marriage, they began repaying the debt accumulated during The Byrds’ marriage. Camilla claims that one of the reasons McGuinn was so in debt was because labels seized the lion’s share of their revenues. The pair got fed up with it and decided to launch their own label. They also kept their costs down by recording at home. McGuinn survived the rock and roll lifestyle of the 1960s and emerged healthy, happy, and with a loving wife.
Roger McGuinn’s Difficult Relationship with His Ex-Wife
Although McGuinn turned a new leaf after adopting Jesus Christ, his life before that was a shambles, as his previous wife, Dolores DeLeon Tickner, better known as Ianthe, will confirm. Ianthe and her ex-husband met in April 1965, before the publication of ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ when he was still a budding musician. Ianthe pursued the singer, and the two started dating and had their first child.
They finally married and had another son in late 1966. While McGuinn traveled often, Ianthe remained at home to raise the children. McGuinn cheated on Ianthe many times while on tour and ignored his boys, leading to the couple’s divorce. Following the divorce, the musician had no contact with his two boys for four years and failed to make any child support payments. It’s unclear if Ianthe and their boys are still in contact with the musician.
